Remember when Napoli dominated Seria A and won the title? They finally found their way back to the top of the table 483 days later and will defend their place against Como on Friday.
The opening round of Serie A probably gave fans the wrong impression, when Napoli lost 3-0 to Verona. Since then, every single match has had the completely opposite scenario. The Parthenopeans have dominated every fixture scoring wonders and keeping every opponent far from their net.
Napoli won all five home games this season, conceding a single goal in the process. The team boasts four clean sheets in a row, a streak that last happened in their championship season a year and a half ago.
Como returned to the elite for the first time in 21 years with one of the most unpleasant schedules one can hope for. This will be their 5th away game in seven rounds and while the first few rounds were underwhelming, the team enters this contest after back-to-back wins.
Most recently, Como defeated Atalanta and Verona with the same 3-2 scoreline. How will they perform on their first trip to Naples in two decades?
How the bookies view it: Overpriced Napoli?
While Napoli are the expected favourite, we anticipated their advantage to be even more significant. Betano gave them 47/100 to win on Friday. Como’s chances were estimated at 61/10, while the draw is priced at 17/5.
Recent head-to-head: They meet again 20 years later
Obviously, Como have not appeared in Serie A in decades, so the most recent H2H is from early 2004. Curiously, Como won the last three encounters but this doesn’t matter for our tips today.
Players to watch: Kvaratskhelia or Lukaku?
Both teams have healthy squads available, with the sole significant injury being Napoli’s first-choice goalkeeper, Alex Meret. With 11 goals across the last four fixtures, Napoli’s front three have been extremely active.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has scored three goals in Serie A, Romelo Lukako two, and both have a couple of assists each. You can bet on either one to score against Como and it wouldn’t be a mistake.
Probable line-ups
Napoli: Caprile, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera, Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay, Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Como: Audero, Van Der Brempt, Dossena, Kempf, Moreno, Roberto, Perrone; Strefezza, Paz, Fadera, Cutrone
Anything else catch the eye?
On paper, Napoli should crush Como 99 out of 100 times but there is always a chance the newly-promoted underdogs could ruin their plans. With 14 goals in Como’s last three Serie A fixtures, we could be in for a treat on Friday night.
But Antonio Conte’s style is often difficult to decipher and his teams usually stand out with their defence. We definitely expect Napoli to take the three points home but if they start scoring early, Como could definitely add up to the final scoreline with a late entry.
Friday fixtures often end with unexpected results but the 3-1 scoreline feels valid. With the way things have been going, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona looks like an impregnable fortress and Napoli's fans shouldn't be too worried about dropping points.
This Serie A match between Napoli and Como will be played on Oct 4, 2024 and kick off at 17:30. Check below for our tipsters best Napoli vs Como prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
